Alvin madison steens



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALVIN MADISON STERNS, OF LAMAR, MISSOURI.

WICK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,496, dated November 22, 1887.

Application filed June 1, 1887. Serial No. 239,982. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALVIN MADIsoN STERNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lamar, in the county of Barton and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wicks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in wicks; and it consist in the construction and arrangement of the parts of the same, which will be more fully hereinafter described, and

. pointed outin the claim.

The object of my invention is to provide a wick for use in connection with oil-lamps which is constructed partially of non-combustible material, but at the same time preserving the action of capillarity, and at the same time also providing air-passages or ventilating means by suitable vertical corrugated quiltings uniting the several parts of the wick. I attain this object by the construction of wick illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate similar parts in the several V views, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved wick. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the parts thereof detached. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the wick.

A indicates a series of strips of cotton-batting; B, a series of strips of asbestus paper; and G, the outside covering for the wick, which is constructed of suitable gauze-cotton material. The strips of cotton-batting Aand of the asbestus paper 13 are alternately arranged intermediate of each other, as shown, and when thus arranged the outer cotton covering, G, is applied to the arranged strips of asbestus and batting and sewed thereto by means of rows of vertical stiches c, which form corrugations c, which give ingress to the atmospheric air into the lamp. The several parts composing the wick are thus secured together, and when thus secured the lower edge of the wick is secured by overthrow-stitching, while the upper edge of the wick is left free and unsecured for the purpose of ignition. As the asbestus paper is non-combustible, a portion only of the wick will be consumed, being the cotton around the asbestus paper, thereby providing awick which will need no trimming, the asbestus paper acting as a feed for the oil and as a filter for straining the same, allowing no sediment to pass therethrough, which would necessarily detract from the proper action of capillary attraction. As many layers of the several materials may be used as are necessary and desired for any purposes. The asbestus paper being indestructible by fire or acid, a lamp-wick is provided which is almost indestructible, and, further, asbestus being a non conductor of heat, a radiation of the heat of combustion is prevented from being transmitted to the lamp-reservoir, and thereby preventing any gas from being formed and a consequent explosion of the oil in the reservoir. The asbestus paper being indestructible, as above described, the flame is rendered more steady and brilliant by reason of the fact that no particles of combustion can fall off of the wick and injure the quality of the flame. The number of thicknesses of the several materials makes the wick very firm and stiffand aids its perfect vertical adjustment by means of the feed, and the wick is adapted to be constructed in such amanner as to render it applicable for use in connection with any form, size, or construction of lamp.

The novelty and utility of my improved wick being obviously apparent, it is unnecessary to further enlarge upon the same herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

As an improved article of manufacture, a lamp-wick consisting of a series of strips of asbestus paper, a series of interposed cotton strips, and an outer gauze covering, the several parts being secured by a series of vertically-arranged stitches, forming corrugations, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALVIN MADISON STERNS.

IVitnesses:

JOHN H. Sreenns, ALBERT T. SMITH. 

